Unloader valve for compressors



Nov. 15, 1932. E. NATI-Mm 1,837,858

UNLODER VALVE FOR COMPRESSORS Filed Sept. 20. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l "umo AIl 35 llmlllln l li 6m I INENTOR l.

valve.

In the drawings:

Patented Nov. 15, 1932 ,UNITED STATES SYLVANIA ELLIS NATIIAMOE EASTON,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOE To PENNSYLVANIA PUMP a 'l COMPRESSOR COMPANY, OI'EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION por PENN- UNLOADEE VALVE EOE`OOMPEESSOES y V.Application led September 20,1930. Serial No. 483,341. Y

VThis invention relates to air compressors and in particular Yto aYvalve constructionV therefor adapted to be movedA toward and vheld inits open position to effect unloading of a compressor.

, An object of importance of the present 1nvention is to provideimproved means mov- -able within the unloaderl valve structure 'whichmaybe forced by fluid pressure or manually into a position holding' theinlet valve away from its seat. l.

Another Vobject of the invention is'to provide improved guiding meansfor the member movable into .and out of contact with the And finally itis an object to improve the construction of the valve supportingstructure to facilitate manufacture, assembly,and mounting of thestructure within the cylinder walls of a compressor. Y

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thefeaturesof construction and operat-ion setforth in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of thisspecification, I have shown my invention-embodied in an inlet valvev ofthe plate type, but it will be understood that the invention can bevotherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be construed asdefining or limiting the 4scope of the invention,` the claims appendedto this specification being relied upon for that purpose. I Y

Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional View of a complete inlet valvestructure illustrating one form of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of Aa'modified form 'of the invention.

In the above mentioned drawings I have .may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims without departing from the Yspirit of the invention.

Briefly, andV in its preferred aspect, my invention may include thefollowing principal parts First,a valve assembly; sec-ond, yayoke'member movable into and out ofl contact with a valve within saidassembly; third,

a supporting frame for retaining said valve assemblyand yoke member inposition w1th- Ain a'cylinder wall;l fourth, a cuide member formed 'onthe yokemember;

fifth, a flexible diaphragm attached t0 and permitting movement of saidyoke member'relative to the supporting members; and sixth, means foradmitting fluid pressure Within the support and vagainst said diphragmtomove said yoke member against the valve fand force the valv to its openor inoperative position. f if Referring more'in particular to thefigures 'ofthe drawings, thecylinder wall 10 of ay compressor is shownadjacent an intake passage 11 within which is adapted to be iitted theinlet .valve assembly 12. :This assembly 12 may have oneor more valves13 ofring form normally forcedagainst a valve seat/15 yby springs 14housed within a valve cover plate 16. 'As this assembly 12 may be of. astandard or usual form, further description is thought to beunnecessary. Y Y

` To support the valve assembly 12 in position a structure is providedengaging the periphery of the valvev seat 15 and extending through theouter wall 17 of the intake passage 11. Referring first'to the form oftheV invention shown in Fig. A1, the supporting structure is kformedinone-piece 18 and may be 'clampedto the outer wall 17 over studs' 19threaded into the wall 17 by suitable nuts 20.

Y A packing 21 is inserted within the opening y ofthe outer wall 17 in acounter-bored p0rtion.' This packing 21 Vmay be lretained bya suitablering 22v engaged by'andzforced into Y position by an annular surface. onthe support 18. By tightening the nuts 20 upon the studs 19 the support18 is forced against and firmly retains the valve `assembly 12 in itsposition against the cylinder wall 10. The'tighten-ing .of the nuts 2Oalso compressesl the packing 2l within its annular recess assuring ajoint satisfactory for the low pressure cylinders or under otherconditions where the packing 21 has to withstand but small pressuredifferences. i y

Within the support 18 extends a yoke member 24 having ngers 25 extendingthrough the openings of the valve seat 15 to engage the valve plates 13.On this yoke member 24 is an elongated guide portion 26 preferablyformed integrally therewith. A central extension Y 28 enters a holewithin the valve seat 15 and with the lower surface ofthe valve plate oruplates 13`to retainrthe valve plates 13 in their open position.

Normally retaining the yoke member 24 in a position in which the lingersare out 0f contact with the valve plates 13 is a spring 29. This spring29 is shown as of the helical type disposed between the lower surface ofthe valve seat 15 and the lower ends of the fingers 25.

Y In order to move the yoke member 24 in a direction to engage thefingers 25 with the valve plates 13 Huid pressure means are provided.Withinlan outer portion of the support 18 is mounted a flexiblediaphragm 30, one of its surfaces. being fastened to the support 18' andanother to the yoke member 24.

vIn its preferred form this flexible diaphragm orV member 30 takes theform of a metallic bellows. Asl one end is the outwardly extendingflange 31 .fastened by means of a clamping ring 32 to an inner face ofthe suppo-rt 18. The opposite end of the bellows, which in the formshown has an inwardly ex.- tending flange, is attached to the end of theguide portion 26 ofthe yoke member 24 by vthe member 27 threadedtherein. The bellows 30 with its clamping ring 32 encloses a portion ofthe support 18 and forms a pressure tight cavity therein. At one side ofthis enclosed portion of the support 18 is an opening 33 through whichfluid'pressure may be .admitted to compress the bellows `30 thus movingthe yoke member 24 to engage and yhold the valve plates 13 in their openor inoperative position. As soon as pressure within the enclosed portionofthe support 18 is released, the coiled spring 29 expands, forcing'theyoke member 24 in a direction away from vthe valve seat 15 so that thevalve plates 13 are free to function normally.

Supplemental manual means to move the yoke member 24 to engage thevalves 13 and render them inoperative are 'provided which may be of theusual type. A stem 34 threaded -into a member 35 threaded into the outerend ofthe support 18 may be rotated by its wheel handle to force theinner end ofthe stem 34 into engagement with the end of the guide memberextension'27.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2, itwill be seen that the support for the valve assembly 12 is formed of twoprincipal members 36 and 37 clamped firmly together. F or this purposestuds 38 are threaded into one member 37 and extend through the othermember 36. Nuts 39 on the outer end of the studs 38 fasten the members36 and- 37 together accuratelyV in alignment. clamp the flange 40 of theflexible bellows 41 between the members 36 and 37. The member36 adjacentthe valve assembly 12 is or may be fastened thereto by small set screws42 suliiciently to retain these parts in proper 80 rel-ation duringassembly and disassembly.

In order to retain the valve assembly 12 and its supporting members 36and 37 in vtheir operative positions7 the following means may beprovided. The outer member 37 of "85' the support fits within the outerwall 17 of the cylinder, a packing 43 similar to packing 21 beinginserted within a counterbored ortion ofthe opening therefor. Surrouning the member 37 is a. packing gland 44 which '90 may be drawn downagainst the cylinder wall 17 by appropriate studs 46 and nuts 47. Onthis gland 44 are set screws 48, one only of which is shown, positionedover the outer end of the supporting member 37. By means of the studs 46for the gland 44 and set screws 48'on the gland 44 for forcing thesupport-ing member 37 against the valve assembly 12 a completely tightjoint may be obtained by the packing 43. The degree of tightness of thispacking 43 is determined entirely by the position of the gland 44 andindependently of the position of the supporting members 36 and 37against the valvel assembly 12.

This form of the Ainvention is thereforefadapted for intermediate orhigh pressures. As the bellows 41, the yoke member 24, valve assembly12, and manual-unloading means 34 are or maybe in every way similar tothose shown and described in connection with vFig.

1, further description of these parts is not thought to be necessary.

Extending through the support 18 in Fig. 1 and through member 36 of thesupport shown in Fig. 2 are the usual openings fon-H5 the air beingcompressed to pass from the intake passage 11 to the spaces within the.valve lseat 15. A

What I claim is:

1. An unloader valve for compressors com `1&0 v prising in combination,a valve assembly, a

support for retaining said assembly in position wit-hin a cylinder wall,a yoke member within said support having fingersextending throughportions of said assembly, :1.7125

guiding portion formed integrally with said yoke member having a portionengaging said assembly, and a member secured at the opposite end of saidguiding portion engaging said support whereby said yoke member 'is-'130These studs 38 also 75 guided relative to said support and assembly ataxially aligned Widely spaced posi-k prising in combina-tion, a valveassembly, a

' support for retaining said assembly in posican tion Within a cylinderWall, a yoke memberV Within said support having fingers extendingthrough portions of said assembly, a

guiding means for said yoke member engaging said assembly, a flexiblediaphragm attached to one portion of said yoke member,

and a second guiding means for said yoke member engaging said support.

3. An unloader valve for compressors comprising in combination, a valveassembly, a support for retaining said assembly Within a cylinder Wall,said support comprising two members secured together and having clampedtherebetween a flange of a flexible diaphragm, and a separate membersurrounding a member of-said support to retain said support in positionagainst said assembly and Within said cylinder wall.

4. An unloader valve for compressors comprising in combination, a valveassembly, a support for retaining said assembly in position Within acylinder Wall, a flexible diaphragm Within said support, a yoke memberattached to said diaphragm. and movable Within said support throughport-ions of said assembly, a gland of ring form surrounding saidsupport and forming a fluid tight joint between said support andcylinder Walls, and means on said gland for forcing said support Withinsaid cylinder Wall and against said assembly.

5. An unloader valve for compressors comprising in combination, a valveassembly, a support for retaining said assembly within a cylinder Wall,a flexible diaphragm Within said support, a yoke member attached toportion of said diaphragm and movable Within said support throughopenings Within said assembly, and a clamping ring surrounding saidsupport for forcing said support against said assembly, and a packingfor forming a tight joint between said support and cylinder Wallretained in position by Saidclamping ring.

In testimony whereof, I hereto ailix my signature.

ELLIS NATHAN.

